i guess i'm with edey on this topic- too much over-packaged weirdness!  i suppose if i still had kids at home i might fall for some of this, but i was even poorer then, and they lived without it.  lunchables, cheese sticks, pre-trimmed sandwiches, individual slices of cheese- nope, can't do it!  too much trash, and too many strange unpronounceable ingredients.  have a piece of fruit, kid.

I think it's fine to combine homemade with convenience food. And I also think it's fine if there's a reason someone buys a convenience food over the same thing that can be bought cheaper (like the shrink-wrapped potatoes - my FIL buys them too). But it's not uncommon for me to see people in the grocery store with nothing but pre-packaged food like frozen pizza, frozen dinners, cans of soups or stews, vitamin water, diet pop, chips, a loaf of white bread and a package of bologna. No veggies, no fruits. And these people wonder why they're overweight and never feel good?

Plus, is there anyone who's filled up eating nothing but a Lean Cuisine for lunch? It's gone in two bites (OK, maybe three <insert sarcasm>).

Since the economy took a downturn a couple of years ago, I see more and more people brown-bagging their lunches at work. But what they're brown-bagging is pre-packaged food. almost no one brings "real food". I used to work with someone who brought Kid Cuisine meals to eat for HER lunch.

Sorry about the rant. I just don't think we're headed in the right direction food-wise.

Jill

eyrehead:

My son likes the uncrustable type sandwiches, and when I buy them, I get them from Aldi (their brand), and sometimes, I'll even use my little Pampered Chef gadget that cuts and crimps the sandwich bread slices together. Saves lots of $$!!

I got one of those gadgets, too. I have never bought Uncrustables, but the fact is that my kids will tear off half the bread trying to avoid the crust. So, I might as well save as much bread and money as I can & make them myself.

 Cheryl-

my oldest had nothing prepackaged, but there wasn't anything much prepackaged back then!  She wore cloth diapers at home, had a huge metal carseat, and had winter hats and gloves knitted by my gramma. She just went to daycare and an occasional class, like gymnastics or swimming. Fast forward to now, I am driving three kids to seperate schools, and it is a rare day when there aren't two or three activites-sports, confirmation, high school Bible study, work, choir- for the kids. The little girls ride around in the car a lot.  The price of many convenience foods is not that much more than if you package it yourself when they are on sale. A bag of 24 sting cheese on sale is 24 high protein, long burning snacks. A big pack of granola bars is about the same as two cereal boxes, same number of servings for little kids.  If I need to wake up a 2 and 5 year old to drive siblings to school, it is much easier to give them a gronola bar that they will eat, than an apple that will be half wasted by a sleepy little kid.  If they can get some calories and carbs on board, I am totally fine with processed convenience foods!  I don't even necessarily think it's wasteful or bad for the environment or economy, it's close to the same price, and if they wrap it in the factory, or I wrap it at home in saran or a baggie, I am not taking those dirty bits of plastic home and washing to re-use.  When my oldest had grapes in a baggie (remember when they came with paper covered metal twist ties you tore off a strip?) or a piece of cheese and crackers wrapped in saran wrap, I would still throw away the wrapper. 

I think Martha and I both like the kid snacks, and I appreciate the occasional Vitamin water, protein Clif bar, or egg salad sandwich at school in it's plastic triangle when I am at school. Any other fans of convenience foods?  

 I used more when the ;kids were in Christian school for a short time. They had to bring lunch and snacks. Couldnt heat things up. It was a long year. lol I spent a lot more than for home school lunches.

Trying to think of any that we still use.......DD likes granola bars, packs of peanut butter crackers, .some water bottles in the summer for DH. Babs 

That is the problem running around with little kids that want food all the time!   plus the stores know it so they have good sales to stock up on.  better the kids have a granola bar on the run if they can't have breakfast.

I like vector bars at least they are healthy but pricey for me for breakfast on the run. I am not hungry first thing in the morning so that and a banana is my eat in the car breakfast especially to work.

depending on the weather I do pack grapes/mini carrots mandarins.  depends if we are out all day or what the plans are and the weather.   I can throw a snack like granola bar and a fruit juice box in ds backpack and if he doesn't eat it, I don't have to worry about it going bad.

I would buy more sandwiches but they are too expensive!   

and that end, we do have convenience foods but it is balanced with healthy so it all works out.    My kids go to school with 100% fruit juice, fruit or veg, treat and cheese/crackers or sandwich of some type.  no pb allowed.   they get koolaid drinks sometimes when it is mega cheap.

What I think is wrong is what my friend is going though with her daughter. her kids like veggies and she packs carrots cucumber slices etc and her daughter is in gr 5. the other kids are bugging her for eating veggies because they are having chips and coke in their lunches.  who packs junk like that on a reg basis for kids.   trust me the school lunches are yummy and healthy. 

junk food vending machines have been banned in schools here now.   what is sad is now they have a produce day where once every two weeks they bring in a fruit or veggie for the kids to try. last week it was a bag of mini carrots. same day I gave dd carrots :)

Although I don't have kids, I completely appreciate the time crunch they can cause. It's not the cheese sticks or granola bars I have issues with. It's the things previously mentioned like cereal straws, rice toothpicks, pancake mix in a spray can, vitamin water, cereal bars with "milk" in the center, etc. These items don't remotely resemble real food and any nutrition they may contain comes from added nutrients because they don't intrinsically have much (or any) of their own.

Jill

 I'm still dithering over the "grapple", the frozen pre-made meatballs, the frozen grilled cheese sandwishes, and the frozen PB&Js with no crust.  I call these Foods for the Helpless, because I can't think of who else would fall for them.

 Oh, and let's not forget pre-wrapped peanut butter slices...

Well I am guilty of the frozen meatballs and frozen grilled cheese sandwiches.   I can get the meatballs for almost the same as I make them.   I used to make them but dh prefers the store brands.  so why put out the effort.   though the meatballs are the same as the meatloaf I make that he loves. 

only one place here  M&M meats sells cooked grilled cheese sandwiches that you microwave.  I get them once in a while because they are handy for cheap lunches.  6 for 7-9 dollars depending on sale.  they are in the silver pouches that crisp the sandwiches.